The country's Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, was hit by accusations that he was absent during a public health crisis and needed to start taking a more proactive public role in answering crucial and urgent questions for Democrats, particularly in the year of election.

In the current political context of declining Latino support for Joe Biden, the White House appears to be trying to bolster its Latino allies, dismayed by the criticism and public treatment directed at one of the country's most prominent Latino officials.

News of an uneasy relationship between Becerra and senior White House officials since the beginning of Joe Biden's term has generated crises of confidence in his administration in the health area. With the accusations that Becerra failed during the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in the fifth wave due to the Omicron variant, dissatisfaction has gained centrality recently and many questions about Biden's strategy in this pandemic context have gained strength.

Health officials in the country criticize the current government for miscommunication, as well the controversial policies on testing and isolation protocols. Covid-19 cases overwhelmed hospitals across the country, and many schools and businesses are closing their doors as the outbreak increases.

The Washington Post dropped an interview conducted with 28 senior government officials, health agency officials and external health expert consultants, on condition of anonymity, as one of the first sources of dissatisfaction and criticism regarding the responses given. To the pandemic, whose guidelines would always be in constant change.

With these accusations echoing in media across the country, President Biden called Xavier Becerra directly from the Oval Office to say he was pleased with his work and his support, followed by White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, who spoke with Congressional Hispanic Caucus leaders to convey and highlight the president's support for Becerra, according to CNN News.

While critics blame Becerra and the Biden administration for the conflicting and contradictory messages emanating from the country's top health officials, advocates warn that the government has given Becerra an unclear role from the start of his activities as secretary of health.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Becerra said the federal government's guidance on the Covid-19 pandemic has been confusing, and he now recognizes the need to resolve this problem.

According to him, “of course, the science around the virus is constantly changing […], but administration officials need to realize that the confusion caused by how hard it's been to keep up with the guidance coming out has been counterproductive, and perhaps costing lives”.

“Becerra and his allies in the administration are embarking on an effort to bulk up the secretary's role, from having a substantive meeting with Biden, which he has never done, to appearing at White House news briefings, which he has also never done. […] However, Becerra's perceived absence in the COVID-19 aspect of his job was set in motion by his rushed appointment to the job and a structure built for the administration's pandemic response that disempowered him. That was accentuated by dynamics that fell into place during his delayed confirmation and is now leading to growing frustration with the secretary both inside and outside the administration”, according to CNN’s publication.

The development of these issues in the coming weeks is still uncertain, and there is no way to know what the possible implications are not only for public health management, but also for the political future of Democrats, who are looking for rapprochement and stronger support from Latino voters.